Blessings
by ImthatAngel
Summary: When Mercedes Jones left Lima Ohio to follow her dreams in LA she swore she would never look back.After the death of her father 10 years later Mercedes has come back home burdened with regret of the things that she left behind.Including the love of her life Sam Evans.Back to where she started Mercedes may just realize that to recognize your blessings you have to open your eyes.
1. Chapter 1

"_Mercedes!"_

"_Mercedes Over here!"  
"Miss. Jones! Now that you've received your fifth Grammy of your career what's next? Any new movies in the works?" The Reporter asked shoving an E! Recognizable Microphone in her face. _

_ "Well I'm not really sure at the moment I think I'll just let what ever comes my way happen!" The star responded hurriedly making her way to her entourage who swarmed her as she waved back to all of the reporters making her way to her Limousine her driver taking her away from the 2022 Grammy awards. _

_ "Thank God! That's over..." She exclaimed loudly as she took off her Christian Louboutin's and threw them across the seat. "Ander, take me home." She said to her driver who looked back at her briefly before responding._

_ "But Mr. Trenton told me that you were going to the Timberlake after party?" _

_ "Look I'm just not up to it. Take me home."She snapped without meaning to._

"_Yes Miss." Was her response, Mercedes sighed while looking out of the window of her car._

_Mercedes Jones walked into her Pent house apartment and launched herself on her couch plopping down lazily while staring at the piece of metal in her hands. As she turned it over examining it from every possible angle she thought out loud. _

_ "Is this really what I wanted?" And that was when the phone rang._


	2. Chapter 1 Forgetting Love

Mercedes once again sat in a Limousine Unlike the one she resided in riding away from The awards show three days ago this one was Black and carried an air of sadness even from a distance. Echoes of _How did I let this happen?_ _All alone. _and even _This is your fault. , _rang through her head. After the initial shock of hearing of Daddy's death she promptly called Trenton and told him to cancel everything because she was going back to Lima for her fathers funeral. After that she'd caught the first flight back to bumfuck and here she was now on her way to Lima Baptist church. It hit her sitting in that Limousine that she hadn't cried yet. Not once since she'd heard the news. _Am I a terrible person? _She thought as the Limousine stopped in front of the church as she still stared out of the window. She saw all of the people going into the sanctuary. There had to be at least 150 people. _No surprise_, she thought still sitting in the car waiting, watching, friends, family, family friends, almost everyone her father had ever known was in there.

"Miss?" She looked up to see the driver looking at her with confusion.

"Um...Thank you." She picked up her pocketbook and started to make her way into the church.

For the first time in 8 and a half years Mercedes stepped inside a church. As she sat in the back pew and listened to the Pastors sermon. And for the first time, she cried. It didn't go unnoticed but between her mother and half the church doing the same she didn't stand out. Plus she "silent cried" as Sam used to say. If she had to do it she did it silently as to not disturb anything else. But as she cried she thought. About the last things she'd promised her father. A visit. That was all he'd wanted. Hell, it was all he'd wanted for 5 years now._ 5 years _she hadn't seen him. Didn't take 5 years for her to start missing him. _So why didn't I ever come? _She asked herself as she sat on the back pew looking to the floor. _Why was it so hard for me to hop on a plane and come here, come home? _

"You know. You should be with us." Mercedes looked up to see her oldest brother Damon towering over her. Even with tear tracks running down his perfectly sculpted caramel colored face he looked ever the fierce protector. Just like always. So when Mercedes stood up and made her way to him as his arms enveloped his baby sister she finally completely let go. Ugly sobs took over her body as she made her way up the aisle to the rest of her family. Whatever she had envisioned when she first saw them again it wasn't this. It wasn't her mother kissing her and thanking god she was there and it definitely wasn't her oldest sister in law Brandi welcoming her home. The rest of her brothers and Sisters in law also welcomed her with open arms. And sharing in their Grief she realized she'd forgotten. She'd forgotten that even though she'd messed up. (And she sure as hell messed up) They would always forgive her because they loved her unconditionally. Not because she was Mercedes Jones Diva extraordinaire but, in spite of it. In spite of the fact she hadn't really been there in ten years. And All visits consisted of short weekends and phone calls were sporadic at best.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered to her mother clutching her close.

"Oh baby," Dana Jones said to her youngest child "It's alright," She looked Mercedes in the eye

"It was always alright." After more hugs from her family Mercedes made her way to the casket. He was so still. Her father had been nothing if not animated. Always, on the move, or talking with that loud voice she'd come to found soothing.

"I'm so sorry Daddy..." She whispered to him as she bent down and kissed his forehead.

"You know he would want you to sing." Her mother said from beside her. Mercedes looked at her and nodded.

"Well we got little Mercy back today y'all." She heard Pastor Lark say from above her. "And I believe our little Mercy is gonna sing one of those hits she's been making' to send John on his way. Y'all know how he loved to hear that girl sing." Chorus' of Amen's and Umhumm's came from the congregation as Mercedes took the microphone.

"Uh, Hi." She said pushing her hair out of her face and taking a deep breath. "I... I'm not gonna sing one of my songs but, this is a song for daddy and-" She stopped as she chocked on a sob. "And I'm so sorry I couldn't have come so you could be here to hear it." She breathed again and whispered the song into the choir directors ear. They all knew it.

"Was so far away From home

I don't know how I ended up there all alone  
Seems, Like just yesterday  
Everything was alright  
How did I get here tonight  
I was raised better than this  
Daddy you don't know how much I miss  
All the lesson life taught you  
You tried to tell me so I wouldn't have to go through  
I cry myself to sleep  
(cry myself to sleep)  
Try to find some peace  
(try to find some peace)  
Your little girl just have one question for you tonight  
Daddy can I please come back home?  
Hold me close don't never let me go  
I wanna say I'm sorry daddy every time I let you down  
Can I come home tonight tell me everything will be alright  
What am I going to do?  
If I cant come home to you  
Am I still Daddy's little girl?  
In this big bad world  
I'm calling out to you know  
Please help me someway, somehow  
I was raised better than this  
Daddy you don't know how much miss  
all the lessons life taught you  
You tried to tell me so I wouldn't have to go through  
I cry myself to sleep  
(cry myself to sleep)  
Try to find some peace  
(try to find some peace)  
Your little girl have just one question for you tonight  
Daddy can I please come back home?  
hold me close don't never let me go  
I wanna say I'm sorry daddy every time I let you down  
Can I come home tonight, Tell me everything will be alright  
I'm tired of getting Independence  
I'm tried of all the dogs pretending  
Like I'm someone I'm not  
When I'm so dog on lost  
I wanna be free from these chains  
A bird once small be free of pain  
I'm calling out to you  
Please here me someway, somehow

Back home  
Hold me close don't never let me go  
I wanna say I'm sorry daddy every time I let you down

Can I come home tonight tell me everything will be alright

Daddy can I come home tonight tell everything will be alright  
Daddy can I come, Home" She finished meekly as the tears ran down her face and Pastor Lark came over and took her in his arms.

"Well, John would have wanted us to end like this. With a genuine show of love. With the people he loved." As Mercedes made her way back to her family and the Pastor started to talk to people of the burial and she snuggled into her Mothers arms she spotted a blonde head talking to her brother Michael. _Sam? _She thought before the head disappeared in the people that were bum rushing her to give their condolences.

_Sam._

_Alright so theirs the First real Chapter because I know you don't really get anything from the prologue so read Review and Tell me if I should continue! I have a vague Idea of were this is going I just have no Idea how long It'll be! Right now it depends on the response I get So whaddaya think 2 shot 3 shot Full blown fic its basically up to you guys cause I'm in the house ALL SUMMER with nothing to do but right and my novel is going to hell BTWS I suck at grammar so if your a grammar Nazi Either A DO NOT READ THIS CAUSE YOU"LL HATE IT or B Find me a Beta _:) OH AND YOU DO GET SAM IN THE NEXT CHAPTER


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